


Getting Over It

by keelywolfe



Series: by any other name [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Alternate Universe - Underswap, Domestic, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Spicyhoney - Freeform, Underfell Papyrus, Underswap Papyrus, Undertale Monsters on the Surface
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 10:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14871716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/pseuds/keelywolfe
Summary: Edge just wants two things; his lover to be safe and a good place to get a cup of coffee. Naturally, this is too much to ask.





	Getting Over It

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just amusing myself at this point. Can't they just be sarcastic and witty and love each other for a little while?
> 
> Cheapbourbon did a gorgeous work loosely based off this and I love it so much. [go check it out!](http://cheapbourbon.tumblr.com/post/174684748259/coffee-kisses-for-keelywolfe)

* * *

The Beanery wasn't in the most prime location for a coffee shop. Starbucks had claimed all those in town, with at least three in easy walking distance of the college. Despite that, the shop did modest business, particularly with the unspoken knowledge that Monsters were welcome. 

Edge parked his car in the outer part of the lot, with spaces empty next to him on both sides. Another little habit that he didn't bother attempting to break; it was safer to have a clear line of sight with the extra bonus of no one being able to ding his car and if Stretch was going to grumble about the walk, he could take a shortcut to the passenger side. 

If he was going to talk to Edge this afternoon, that was. This morning had been unpleasantly quiet, to be sure. 

Getting Stretch to agree with letting Edge drop him off for a few days had taken more than a little persuasion. Not that he wasn't allowed to take the bus; as per his agreement with the King, after Stretch had signed the statement and deleted a few choice selections from his twitter (and agreed not to post any new ones. And to not ask anyone else to do it for him. And to not post anything to Reddit, Snapchat, Instagram or any other place on the internet or undernet with regards to the Ebott Police. Honestly, Edge hadn't read the entire agreement but he had no doubt Antwan had been thorough). After he'd signed it, he'd had his full privileges reinstated. 

It was Edge who was having a difficult time letting him take the bus. Just thinking of Stretch sitting in a cramped vehicle, likely wearing headphones and barely paying attention to his surroundings, humans all around him…and the creature who'd tried to hit him was out there, in the city, perhaps considering retaliation—

Edge was very, very good at compartmentalizing, but not where Stretch was concerned. 

Stretch was fairly reasonable about Edge's completely unreasonable concerns, but trying to infringe on the freedom he'd just gotten back hadn't gone over well. That night wasn't the first time Stretch had slept on the sofa, refusing to come to their bed, but it was the first time Edge hadn't left him there alone. He'd sat on floor beside the sofa, leaning against it and listening to Stretch's even breathing the entire night. Stretch was fine, perfectly fine, and Edge hadn't at all spent the night coming up with elaborate fantasies on how to secretly murder the creature who'd dared trying to hurt what was his. 

He was under no illusions as to what he would have done if the human had managed it.

Stretch had awoken early to find him still sitting there, shadows beneath his sockets, and his emotional walls crumbling. It hadn't taken him a moment to slide to the floor, crawling half into Edge's lap, arms around his waist and burying his face into his shirt.

"you can chauffeur me around for this week only," Stretch had told him, his voice still sleep-rough. "find a way to get over it, lover; i already told you, the collar and leash stay in the bedroom."

Find a way to get over it. 

Right.

The bell on the door rang cheerily as Edge stepped inside. At this time of the afternoon, there were a few college students taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi and no one else in the shop. 

Except Stretch, who instead of sitting at his regular table was wearing one of the barista's green aprons, sweeping the floor. 

"What are you doing?" Edge asked, resigned. 

"uh, cleaning?" His tone clearly suggested that Edge was the crazy one. 

Of course. "Let’s try again. Why are you doing that?"

"well, see, that’s a long story but what really matters is they are letting me work off my debt. it’ll only take....what did you say, debbie? five days?"

The shop owner looked up from behind the counter. "Four, sweetie, today counts."

"four days!" Stretch said cheerily. He moved the broom over the floor in exactly the manner of someone who had no idea how to sweep. 

Edge stepped up to the counter, surveying the various containers and cake stands filled with treats. Nothing seemed out of place or missing. "What did he break?"

"Sorry, hun," Debbie shook her head and set a steaming cup in front of Edge. "I’m sworn to secrecy."

Wonderful, he was converting people to his side. 

Stretch slouched up next to him, flopping down on the counter. "i mean, i am sorry. i really thought it would work. i did the math and nitrous isn't dangerous in those quantities anyway—"

"Stretch…"

"—besides, it would really help with their cold brew. if it worked."

Debbie patted him lightly on the skull and Edge struggled not to tense. He knew the woman had no ill intent but the instinct was hard to ignore. Particularly right now, his emotions roiling far too close to the surface. "I know, dear, you did try."

"You have been allowed back into the city for _one day_ ," With a sigh, Edge reached for his wallet, "What does he owe you?"

A hand slapped his own against his pelvis, pinning it down. He did not lash out, he had far better control than that, but the urge still flickered, viciously suppressed. Another coffee may not have been the best idea for his nerves, not with internal volcano he was battling. 

"uh uh, sugar daddy, i can pay my own debts."

"Can I at least pay for my coffee?" Edge asked dryly, tugging free and handing Debbie a bill. He waved away the change. "You are not allowed to get me banned from this coffee shop. I like this coffee shop and I don’t want to find another."

"We'd never ban you two, hun. The way you both drink coffee, you're putting my son through college," she patted Stretch on the skull again. "He just needs a job to keep him busy. I keep telling him he needs to start a YouTube channel. His Twitter is hilarious."

"maybe someday," Stretch rolled his head enough to look up at her, "and then years from now you can look back and say you knew me when."

He shifted to stand upright, posing majestically with broom in hand. He looked like a movie poster for a new Simon Pegg film, something about ninja janitors, perhaps. The sight settled something in him, made him want to pull Stretch in and hold him. Instead, Edge pulled out his phone and took a picture.

Stretch sidled over and looked over his shoulder, "who are you sending that to?"

"Blue."

"good, tell him to fucking call me. he’s two continents away, i could use a check in."

Now there was some information. Stretch always managed to be chatty and at the same time saying a frustrating amount of nothing. That he hadn't spoken to his brother lately was worthy of note. "I’d assumed he was calling you daily while you were home bound."

Stretch turned away, sweeping with sudden intensity. Ah yes, that was about as subtle as a flying chainsaw.

"Rus?" Edge prompted, softly.

He waited patiently, watching Stretch fumbling with the dust pan. When that became too much for him to bear, he took it away, crouching to hold it while Stretch swept his feeble pile of dirt and straw wrappers into it. He was empting it into the waste bin when Stretch finally muttered. "i didn’t tell him."

"What?"

"i didn't tell him," Stretch said louder. He flopped into a chair, shrinking away from Edge's look. "he would have come home. his work is important. we can’t just rely on our trade agreements with this country."

Edge exhaled slowly. Difficult to argue either point, particularly since he knew Stretch was right. Blue was part of an envoy visiting overseas working towards increasing their revenue and goodwill but if he heard what had happened, Edge had no doubt he'd be on a plane home immediately. His own brother was along as a bodyguard, of all things, and he never would have expected Red to take the job so seriously. He'd changed since they'd come to the surface in ways Edge never could have anticipated. 

"did you tell your brother?"

Then again, some things never changed. "Of course not. I don’t have to tell Red anything. He knew before I'd even gotten you out of the cell and since he hasn’t told Blue, I assume he’s agreeing with your stupidity. Older brothers..."

Stretch looked at the floor, downcast, and Edge made a mental note to ensure Blue called him by the end of the night. Just talking to his brother would improve Stretch's mood.

"How long do you need to sweep?" Edge gave the broom a nudge with his toe, waking Stretch from his contemplation. 

"huh? oh, it’s fine," Stretch took off the apron and handed it over the counter. "thanks, deb, i told you he’d believe it."

"You were right, next coffee is on the house." She folded the apron with an amused grin and then handed over a paper bag to Stretch. "And here, for fixing the steamer for us."

"no problem," he shrugged awkwardly and took the bag. Edge didn't have to look inside to know it was lemon bars. 

"If I had an ass, you'd be the biggest pain in it," Edge grumbled. This would be the first of many paybacks for refusing to let Stretch ride the bus, he was sure. He didn't care; whatever petty amusements Stretch came up with were worth the price.

Stretch slung his arms around Edge's shoulders, pressing their foreheads together. "you love me."

"I do," Edge said. Faint orange tinted Stretch's cheekbones and Edge pressed a kiss there. Only to glance to the side to see Deb watching them like a particularly good cable movie, her chin propped on her hands. If her eyes could have morphed into hearts, he had no doubt they would have in an instant.

"Don't mind me," Deb grinned. "You aren't bothering us, are they, guys?"

An absent murmur of agreement came up from the college students who weren't wearing headphones. None of them looked up.

"Come on," Edge grumbled, catching up the strap of Stretch's laptop bag, waving to Debbie as he guided Stretch out the door. "We need to get home. Antwan and An—Jeff are coming over for dinner tonight."

"really?" Stretch all but glowed at that news, melancholy forgotten. "they are actually coming to dinner together? my own personal matchmaking project is coming to us?"

"They're already dating, you don't _need_ to matchmake." 

"Oh, please, like antwan won't find a way to fuck it up? we both know better."

" _We_ know no such thing. The only thing I know is that Antwan is going to murder you if you don't stop calling him Andy and I may let him."

Stretch's look said exactly how much he believed that. "the important thing is how does _andy_ feel about it."

"I think 'Andy' has Stockholm syndrome and would probably let you call him Pricilla." Edge climbed into the driver's side and waited for Stretch to fasten his seatbelt before backing out. "I feel like we should discuss this odd cult of fans you're getting."

"they are called followers and twitter is not a cult."

"Of course," Edge sighed. "I'm not worried about your twitter harem. The living one you're slowly gathering is what concerns me. Just promise me you won't use your powers for evil."

"you know i love you," Stretch reached over and patted his knee. "but i can't make you a promise i might not keep."

Edge was fairly certain that nothing he'd done in life was worthy of this punishment. Maybe it was time to let Stretch take the bus again…then again, that was how he'd met An—damn it. Jeff. "Let's just worry about dinner tonight."

"what's to worry about?" Stretch yawned. "you'll cook, i'll entertain. what could possibly go wrong?"

Edge wished that sounded less like a prophecy. He really did.

 

-finis-


End file.
